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Chapter Text

When he finally makes it back home, William looks like carnage. 

He makes his way into the foyer, the slow patter of blood exceedingly loud in your ears as it drips from his overcoat and down onto the castle floor, leaving a trail of scarlet in his path. If slaughter were to walk amongst men, you had no doubt that it would stride with his long legs, it would burn with the intensity of his crimson gaze, and it would flash in the dark with the sharpness of his teeth. Your steps slow on the stone floor, a welcome greeting dying in your throat, and it's in moments like these - when he stands before you in all of his unyielding, sinful determination - that your knees will threaten to buckle under your weight and bring you to his feet.

You take a shaky breath, and you scan his figure for any injuries. "Will, the blood -"

"Oh, this?" William pauses to look down at himself, your eyes follow his gaze, but it's so difficult to see through all the red. "It's not my blood, don't worry."

"You're sure you didn't get hurt?"

"Yes." William chuckles when you sigh in relief. He stands in place, extending a bloodied hand at you. "You're welcome to check, if you want."

A tempting invitation, and one of his worst habits. Even now, he rarely ever pulls you in first. You're reminded of a night just like this one, where he'd arrived soaked in blood, and you didn't understand the gravity that still pulled you to him. A night where he'd kissed you until you stopped trembling, and nothing more. It must be on his mind too, as he stays there just out of reach, and calls out with the voice of a siren. You're trembling tonight as well, though for a very different reason. You've come to learn that you aren't as afraid of crashing against the rocks as you probably should be, so you make your way to him, surprisingly steady on your feet.

"Maybe I'll do just that." Your voice sounds airy in your ears once you reach him. William's usual scent of roses is marred with copper, it's cloying yet fitting somehow. William takes a lock of your hair, twirling it in slender fingers.

"My robin has grown so much," He praises, satisfaction tugging at the corners of his lips. "Are you not worried at the amount of bloodshed I must've conducted tonight, to still be dripping with blood, even through the ride back home?"

"I'm just glad you're safe," You exhale, and you mean it. He must see it on your face, if the amusement dancing in his eyes is anything to go by. "I understand myself better now, Will."

He chuckles. "So you do, were you practicing your throws again?"

"How do you know?"

"You're charmingly flushed and your hair is sticking to your forehead a little," William tucks the lock of hair behind your ear gently, and cradles your cheek. His hand is cold, slightly damp, and your skin tingles at the contact. "I also had a feeling my knight would be hard at work."

You can't help the frown that overcomes you, "Do you think it's funny that I couldn't go?"

William's melodious laugh echoes in the foyer as he takes one step closer to you, his other hand drawing up to cup your face. "Of course not, but you looked adorable when you were so upset at the news."

The way he's caressing your face and the simmer in his eyes threaten to scatter your thoughts. Unwittingly, your gaze drops to those perfectly-shaped lips, that you know are as soft as rose petals and tend to taste like them too. Your hands come up to rest on his dampened clothes, so cold to the touch, and you remember why you'd been running to greet him. 

"I ran a hot bath for you."

"Oh? You're so considerate of me." William's smile widens as he draws even closer, his breath ghosting against your lips. "Are you going to take me there now or is there something else you want first?"

You sigh, of course he'd seen right through you. "Please, kiss me first."

"With pleasure."

He's freezing against your skin, but his lips are demanding and his tongue is hot as it breaches your mouth, stealing your breath. Sometimes, after missions, William will get especially voracious and tonight seems to be no exception. His tongue roams your mouth and his teeth tug at your lips until your knees shake, and the only thing holding you up are your hands clutching his blood-soaked coat. Fleetingly, you think your dress will be ruined too when you press up against him. It's hard to care though, when one of his hands makes its way to the small of your back and locks you tight in his icy embrace. You shiver, it's like he's stealing the warmth from you as he simultaneously stokes a fire in your core, dazedly you think you could never tire of this. But he pulls away too soon, mouth panting for air against your lips, and crimson eyes dark as he looks at you through lowered lashes.

"Have I told you that red is your color?"

His voice is barely above a whisper, and you nod. He seems entranced, fingers making a bloody trail from your cheek to your chin. His thumb pulls at your lower lip and you draw it into your mouth without hesitation. You tease his thumb with your tongue, and suck on it as you watch his eyes narrow, you want to mewl at the evident desire on them.

"Is my robin satisfied now?"

Reluctantly, you let go of his thumb. "Never."

He laughs, pulling his hand back, and nipping at your lip. "Mmm, I will keep that in mind, shall we go take that bath?"

Your response is tugging at his hand, dragging him further into the castle and into warmth.

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Your hands shake as you move to unclasp William's overcoat and you realize that he has no intention of letting you bathe him, not really. He'd let you step out of this game, you're sure of it, if you wanted to. But his hands are annoyingly distracting on your waist as he stands there with you inside the washroom, and your resolve is waning. He's amusing himself again by dangling the succulent red fruit before your parched lips, and waiting for you to bite. Still, you'd been looking forward to doing this for him all day and didn't plan to give in easily. His overcoat falls to the floor with a wet thud.

"Did you have to use your sword?" You ask, hands shifting down to unclasp his sword belt, your fingers lingering by his waistline for longer than necessary.

"I did, unfortunately. Some of them must've been informed of my curse and took precautions against it. I wonder if… " William tails off, his thumbs drawing circles on your hips and you look up at him in question. He only raises his eyebrows in response - he will tell you later, or have you figure it out on your own. You try your best to delicately lower his sword to the ground as William refuses to let go of you.

"You know, you're going to have to let go so that I can take off your coat."

William hums, "You can take off one sleeve at a time so I get to keep one hand on you while you do it."

He laughs when you huff in exasperation, teasing fingers traveling up your spine and down again. Without room to argue, you decide to remove his cravat next, you can barely tell it used to be white. Your fingers ghost along his throat, the splatter of blood there stark against the paleness of his neck, the bob of his Adam's apple enticing before you pull your hands away. You wonder if the garment can still be salvaged, and let it fall to the ground with a quivering breath. 

You do as he asked, slowly taking off his clothes one sleeve at a time, starting with his coat. You're a breath away from him as you push the coat off his shoulders, and down his arms, his left hand squeezes your hip before letting go for a second and allowing you to push the coat off it. As soon as his arm is free he's grasping your hip again, and repeats the same with his right arm. The coat is discarded. Another quivering breath, and you unclasp the buttons of his red waistcoat. This one, at least, seems to have survived some of the bloodbath. Down his left arm again, a squeeze at your hip. Right arm, another squeeze. The garb falls.

Hands on his shoulders, you try to scowl at him through the daze that's settling in your mind, "You could take your clothes off yourself."

"Didn't you offer to warm me up so sweetly just a few minutes ago?" William hums, hands running up your back again and toying with the ribbons of your dress. He tugs and the fabric loosens around you, making goosebumps travel down your spine. You squeeze his shoulders and scramble to undo the buttons of his shirt, his snicker is low in your ear as you still refuse to give in.

"You need to get in the bath before it runs cold." You chide, shaky fingers unexpectedly dexterous at exposing the pale skin of his chest and torso, but you don't move to take off the sleeves this time. Instead, in a fit of trying to run away from his maddening hands you kneel down to remove his shoes and socks. 

It is the wrong move, you realize as soon as you're done and the black fabric of his shirt rustles to join the pile of clothes on the floor, followed by the click of his belt unbuckling. Your gaze tracks a path through the polished floor and to the tub a few meters away, the water is still steaming. You gasp when one of his hands runs through the top of your head.

"You look torn, my robin." There's a pleased, dangerous edge to his voice. His hand trails down your face, and you deliberately close your eyes as he tilts your chin to the side and up to face him. "Usually, I love to play along with your cute little desires, but after that kiss earlier… I'd like to help you decide."

You try to hide the trembling of your body in anticipation. For a second, you consider your options, but it's as fleeting as the flap of a butterfly's wings. You open your eyes and meet his gaze in a clear enough surrender. There's blood on his face and neck, there's blood on his hands. Someone's blood, the blood of people he killed tonight, a part of you thinks. But it's so small and weak before the rest of you that cries: beautiful. His eyes glint like rubies in the lamplight.

"Yes, that's my perfect girl." A wicked smile spreads across his lips before he issues a command. "Do whatever you want with me, and don't gag now, my love."

The vague wording of his command is not lost on you, but no sooner has he finished talking than your hands are scrambling to pull his pants and undergarments off. William's hard, leaking cock springs free, and a pleased sigh falls on your ears when you run your tongue up his length and swirl it around his tip. You kiss it before taking him into your mouth, and it is so easy - his curse keeping your body from gagging as you move down and then up, hollowing out your cheeks. There's only the taste and heat of him in your mouth, the weight of his cock on your tongue, and his fingers knotting a little more tightly around your hair as you bob on his length. His voice is melodious even when he moans. 

You place a hand on his thigh for support, but you can't help yourself from sneaking the other under the skirt of your dress as you continue sucking on him. You moan around his cock as you tease yourself through your soaked undergarments, but William notices and tugs on your hair. His cock slips out of your mouth, and your eyes lock as he issues another command.

"No touching yourself, my little robin."

You whine in frustration as your hand moves away from your core, yet you move against the grip on your hair to nuzzle his erection. A shaky breath escapes him at the sight, "You really are perfect. Open your mouth wide for me."

Your core tightens as you feel his power run through your body once more. He pushes his cock inside your mouth and slowly starts thrusting, you focus on breathing as he works himself on your mouth, eyes locked on yours and then on the way you take him in. There's a sheen of sweat on him that almost makes him glow, his hair is tussled, and when he groans you think it's not fair to be that appealing. You wonder if you can come untouched after all, moaning around his shaft as he speeds up.

"That's it, you're doing so well."

His trusts grow quicker, and he must be about to cum. He tries to pull out of your mouth, but you slide your hands up the back of his thighs and keep him in place, fingers digging into the flesh of his ass. He cums in your mouth. You suckle on him until he stops shaking, not letting a single drop be wasted. There's a wet pop when you pull away from his cock, and you press a kiss to the tip, before your eyes travel up every enticing dip of his sweaty body to meet his gaze again.

His eyes look wild.

He drops to his knees in front of you, hands never leaving your hair, as he pries open your mouth with his tongue. The intensity of his kiss making you fall backward onto the floor.

"You're so alluring," He whispers against your lips, before he starts kissing down your neck. He tugs at your loosened dress, baring your shoulders, and then your breasts. Your sensitive nipples are exposed to the cool evening air and to his ministrations,  he sucks on one nipple as his hand makes its way under your skirt caressing your thigh, making you cry out.

"W-Will.. the bath."

But your words are lost in between moans. William seems to grow impatient and pulls away only long enough to rid you of your dress and your undergarments,  the cold floor against your heated, naked skin making you shiver. William places your ankles on his shoulders, maintains eye contact as he leaves a slow trail of scorching kisses up your calf and your thigh, drawing ever closer to where you need him the most. You can't help the loud moan that falls from your lips when he reaches your inner thigh and bites down. Teasingly, he licks the tender skin before his breath fans against your wet core and he takes a deliberate deep breath in.

You gasp, "Will, that's  -"

"Filthy?" He asks, before he runs his tongue against your folds, drowning out any protests you might have. His tongue slides against your slit, making you see stars, and all you can do is wail as he takes his time savoring you. His lips move up to toy with the bundle of nerves he has come to know so well, and you cry out as one of his fingers slips in easily inside you. 

"Sing for me."

He pumps in and out of you, adding a second finger, already too familiar with the spots that will make you cry out in bliss. Lips and tongue maddening, and fingers unrelenting on the pleasure they bring you. Your moans grow louder, hips moving desperately against him, and your hands scramble for purchase on silver locks. 

"Will - Will, please. I -"

He doesn't let up until you're shaking against him, walls convulsing on his fingers, and your own grip fiercely tugging at his hair. He moans against you in appreciation, keeps suckling and pumping his fingers in and out as you ride out your orgasm. But then he doesn't stop. He continues despite the overstimulation, your mind goes numb as pain and pleasure blend together, moans turning to complaints and then into moans again. Pleas and his name falling from your lips as if in prayer. You're not able to think of anything but his touch, mean fingers and fierce tongue devouring you until he draws a second orgasm out of you. You practically sob his name as your vision goes white.

When he finally pulls away, he hums, "Divine."

William kneels between your legs, lips and chin shimmering with your release as he moves the hand he used to pleasure you down to his already hard cock and pumps. He strokes himself, spreading your juices and his pre-cum on his length, while watching you pointedly.

"You're gorgeous."

You feel like you can't breathe, but before you can say anything, he's bending down to hover over you again. His erection teasing your entrance. "Will, wait. I can't I just -"

"One more," He mutters against your lips as he's pushing in. Your back arches against the floor as you take him in, chest heaving, and his crimson eyes drink in the sight of it.

He trusts slowly, looking at you without saying anything else. You're breathless at the intensity in his eyes, and the feeling of him moving against you so tortuously slow. You're too sensitive, and tears prickle at your eyes, so you half-heartedly protest.

"Will, it's too much."

William just hums as he moves his hands up the sides of your body.  He pulls your arms up over your head and pins your wrist together as he leans over you, mouthing along your collarbone and your neck. Your breaths are impossibly loud in your own ears. All the while his hips are still leisurely sinking in and out of you, and circling in a way that turns your brain to mush. 

"You're so naughty," You feel him smile against your neck. "Saying the opposite of what you want, painting me as the villain. The way your legs are holding me in place, the way you're squeezing my cock… You want more, you can give me one more."

He whispers in your ear, your whines are loud and embarrassing, his name falling from your lips over and over. He's right, you know he's right. What you're not used to is how insatiable you truly are where he's concerned. He licks a tear that managed to run down your cheek.

“Will you be good now?”

"Yes," You nod frantically, barely able to make out the words, "I promise."

He smiles and kisses your nose, letting go of your wrists. But the tender touch is gone as soon as he grabs your waist and starts thrusting harder against you, drawing out a moan out of both of you. You immediately bring your arms around him, clutching at his back for balance as he pounds into you. 

“I promise, I promise” You repeat over and over in between moans. You scratch your nails down his back and he shivers in your hold.

"Have I told you that I love when you do that? Especially those days where it stings so good I know you drew blood." You clench around him and he laughs. "Mmm. I know you liked that too. Maybe one day it won't heal properly, then I can have the cutest little scars on my back. Have you engraved in my body forever."

William times it with a particularly hard thrust that has your eyes rolling back, nails definitely stinging him now.

"Yes, just like that."

You can barely do anything but moan, your voice getting more high pitched as he speeds up.

"Shh, it's late. They'll hear you." But he's chuckling and purposefully hitting all the right spots. "Oh dear, what are we going to do if everyone hears?"

In response, you move to suck on his neck. He pauses for a moment as he trembles, “That's my clever little robin, you're doing so good.”

It's intoxicating to have him like this. The world narrowed down to the heat of his body, the low melody of his voice, and his scent of roses and decay. You keep mouthing along his neck and shoulders, trying to muffle your moans. Has anyone tasted him like this before? His sweat mixing with the blood that's still on his skin? Has anyone had him pound into them with this ferocity before? The thought comes unbidden and drives you mad with possessiveness. You're overcome with the impulse of branding him, of having a taste of him only you can have. William thrusts into you in a way that has you seeing stars, and it's all you can do so you don't scream. So you bite down on his shoulder, hard, until a metallic taste fills your mouth and you moan around it.

William groans and his vicious thrusts still for a second as he spills inside you. You whine, and he continues to move against you, his hand moving to your clit to rub circles on it. It's so good as he fills you up that soon enough, you're coming after him.

“That's it, that's my girl.”

His hand doesn't let up as you ride out your orgasm, drawing it out for as long as possible. Aborted little moans keep slipping from your mouth until he seals your lips with his again. It starts hungry and roaming, leaving you even more lightheaded. But it slowly turns tender, his mouth sucking on your tongue and lips, until he starts leaving small pecks against your lips. Then little butterfly kisses all over your face, and your thoughts slowly trickle back in. Your gaze focuses on him. His mouth has a little blood on it now too, and you wonder if you bit his lips in your daze.

"I didn't know I had a little vampire."

He's chuckling and his words finally make you look at his shoulder, a red ring with the shape of your teeth is clearly visible there, a bit of blood trickling down from a couple punctures. You're mortified at the sight of it, yet relieved as it could've been much worse. You really weren't thinking straight. And yet, through it all, a sick little thrill twists in your gut.

"Oh Will, I'm so sorry."

William smiles and kisses your nose.

"There's nothing to apologize for." Another peck to your lips, and he nibbles on your lower lip. "I'll wear your adorable little brand with honor, like you wear mine."

His hand makes its way to your stomach, tracing over your scar, making a shiver run through you. "You're a tease, and a bully."

William laughs at your declaration, all rich and melodious and open, making your heart melt into a puddle. You run your hands through his silver locks in adoration, his usually soft hair is matted with blood in some spots. You know William must die to become that spoonful of poison that binds evil, but not while you're here, you'll stand between him and the destruction of his curse for as long as possible. If that means you're partly responsible for all of the sins he commits while you protect him, then so be it. 

There's wicked amusement dancing in his eyes, "Next time put it on my neck, so it's not hidden under my clothes."

Now you're laughing too, but you lean up into his neck and suck at the skin, a sigh falls from his lips as you leave another mark on him. 

"There," His gaze burns and his cock still inside you twitches with interest. "William Rex, if you fuck me again and the bath water goes cold I'll kill you."

There's that laughter. 

"Cold water is better for rinsing off blood anyway, my dear." 

But he pulls away, carefully slipping out of you and standing up. You regret your words almost immediately, nearly whining at the emptiness. But you had really meant to help him relax after the mission, and now he needs to get that bite tended to as well. You shake your head, when you look up the glint in his eyes tells you he knows exactly what you're thinking about.

"Don't." You warn him with a half-hearted glare.

"I'll behave," He says with a teasing smile as he bends to pick you up in his arms.

You're grateful, since your legs feel like jelly, you're not sure how you can help him bathe now. As you wrap your arms around his neck you wonder, when your story is over and done with, when your writing of his sins comes to light and people learn of you as well, will they think of you as a gullible woman that he bewitched into ruin? It doesn't matter if they do, you had no pulse before you met William, but you think there might be a handful of people who will understand. You caress his cheek and you're sure that those who found a love like this will sigh in understanding.

You placed your life at his feet, like an offering to appease an old god of carnage, but if that's all there was to him you doubt you would've stayed. He can change his mind about who's innocent or guilty at the drop of a hat, but he has saved as many lives as he has taken. You know you're supposed to think of a sin as simply a sin, and you do as Fairytale Keeper. But if his sins will pile up with yours as you extend his life for as long as you can, then so will the lives his evil will save from the darkness.

You think you might've gone a little mad ever since you walked into Crown Castle, or maybe you were always mad and desperately trying to hide it, but you can live with this side of you. You don't fear the fires of hell if it means you get to walk with him and save innocent lives by his side.

Chapter Text

William sits at the edge of the bed, bathrobe barely covering his figure as you hover over him doing your best to tend to the bite you gave him. His thumb is drawing lazy circles on your thigh as he watches the way you worry your lower lip with guilt, gentle fingers applying an ointment that must've been given to you by Roger for your own training wounds, and yet he's not one to miss the satisfaction that glints in your eyes underneath it all. It's mesmerizing watching you struggle with the contradicting emotions, William tries to suppress the curl of his lips. Greedy. Adorable. Possessive.

He was endeared by the way you still vied for his special attention, ever so fiercely defensive of your standing, as if he'd want anyone else to be here before him. As if anybody had witnessed all of his sins and been allowed to stay. Nobody had ever been welcomed this close, nobody had ever kissed him while he was covered in blood. The playful words are spilling out of his mouth before he can stop them.

"The things we've done tonight, what we're doing right now. I've never done that with anyone else."

Your breath catches and your hand pauses its movements as you meet his gaze, embarrassment at being caught coloring your cheeks. "How do you always know what I'm thinking?"

"Hmmm.." William smiles when you scowl at him, as if in warning not to make this into one of his guessing games. His fingers dig into the soft meat of your thigh. "I'm always watching you closely, wondering what you're thinking."

His hand makes a path up your thigh, under the silk of your bathrobe, and towards your back. A little shiver runs through you, and his cock jolts in interest. You said you were insatiable, but you weren't the only one that word could be applied to. He can't take his eyes off the way the candlelight dances on your skin while he lets the words sink into your consciousness.

"There's something of mine you've had since the day I met you, my robin."

It takes you but a second to find the answer, "Your attention?"

"How should I reward my clever ______ for guessing correctly?"

William is smiling as he glides his hand to your belly, then up towards one of your pert nipples, your bathrobe was doing a poor job of hiding them from him. Still, the flimsy knot comes undone easily enough under his wandering hands.

"Will -" You whisper in warning, but your traitorous body leans into the pleasure of his touch anyway as he caresses the underside of your left breast before bringing it to his mouth. You close your eyes, a pleased cry escaping you as William takes his time sucking, licking, and biting to the brink of pain. The fog of lust is unmistakable in your eyes once they meet his gaze again.

"More," You whisper and William laughs.

"Greedy," He presses a kiss to your breast. "Or should I say insatiable?"

He moves his hand towards your mound and traces your still-wet folds, pulling a moan out of you. He feels ravenous, yet purposely keeps his touch light on your wet core until -

"Mmm, Will -" His fingers hover right before your entrance, your voice breaks a little when you beg again. "Will, please."

"Please what?"

He doesn't think you know. You toss the ointment aside and grab his shoulders for balance, hands already trembling. He faintly presses his thumb to your clit, and you almost whine. William can't keep his amusement from showing this time, but then you cup his face in your hands and your eyes look clear for a second as you confront him head-on.

"Is that all I have? Your attention?" William is taken aback by the question, shouldn't you know by now? Warm, too-tender fingers trace his cheeks. "I want more Will."

The next second he's pulling you into an aching kiss, tongue viciously tasting your mouth and teeth nipping at your lips. His fingers slip easily inside you again. He pumps them roughly against your core, swallowing every breath and moan that falls out of your mouth, and he doesn't stop until he has you cumming and clamping around his fingers once more. The way you whine his name has effortlessly become one of his vices. You're so astute, surely you must see it? Slowly, he grabs your hips and pulls you down into his lap, right against his cock.

"Do you feel that? How many times have we made love tonight and I'm still like this?"

You tremble in his embrace, darling as you unconsciously roll your hips against his hard length. You're no doubt working your way through a million excuses in your head. William waits as he licks his fingers clean of your release - he can't let your taste go to waste, after all - and an impish smile hangs on his lips when you moan at the sight, his other hand stays rubbing at your hip. Your body is already responding to him, everything else is insignificant. Pleasure crawls up his spine as you finally use your hand to guide him into you.

"That's right," He sighs. "Take what you want."

Take what's yours. William moves to nip at your neck, your throat, under your chin. He stops right against your parted, panting lips.

"I have a sin for you, Fairytale Keeper. I touched myself the night of your first tea party, after I kissed your hand." You gasp, eyes flying open at the admission as he starts moving with you. "And I did it again and again. Until you were ready to take me like this, the way I knew you wanted."

William traces his lips to your ear, and bites down on your earlobe. Moans start hiccuping out of your mouth, hands caressing his shoulders, pain joins pleasure when your hand digs on the wound you gave him. Nobody had been able to draw blood from him tonight but you, it's almost enough to make his head swim.

"Did you ever touch yourself while thinking of me, back then?" Your walls fluttering around his length and your moan are answer enough, and he chuckles. "I wanted you to."

William leans back on the bed, falling on white sheets. Breath gets knocked out of you as the position drives him even deeper inside you, your hands scrambling for purchase on his chest and stomach. He lets you sit up, rocking yourself against him, your head hung back and chest heaving. Desire looks perfect on you, especially when you're flushed like this, losing yourself in the pleasure only he can give you. Your nails claw at  his skin and he groans in appreciation.

"You had my attention, then my desire," Ruthless hands grip your hips and he starts meeting your every thrust. "And then you took so much more."

William can tell you're already close by the sounds you're making. He knows he's drawing on your earlier pleasure, he made sure to give you enough teasing touches in the bath so that you'd stay worked up even as he cleaned you. What you did earlier was exhilarating, but it wasn't enough. He can't get the image of your ruined dress and bloodied cheeks out of his head, you'd walked right into his gory embrace and asked for a kiss so freely he wanted to take you in the foyer, and yet you think he could spare a thought to anyone else? Ridiculous. And then you sink your teeth in him and lick his blood. He almost wants to laugh again, he can't believe you beat him to it. Do you want to crawl into his skin, the way he wants to crawl into yours sometimes? He moves his hands up your body, traces the scar on your stomach again.

"Do you remember when you asked me why I don't wonder what you love about me?" At his question you try to slow your movements before you nod at him, pupils blown wide. "You carry my sins every day with a smile on your face. You will die for me, how could I not know you love me?"

How could I not know you're mine? His hands slide up to your chest, your heartbeat is strong and devilishly fast against his palm, sometimes he wishes he could reach into your ribcage and take your beautiful, kind heart out to get a taste of it. When you take your last breath, and he's not able to soak in your warmth and the beat of your heart like this anymore, he thinks his heart might stop along with yours. "How do you want me to prove I feel the same?"

William's eyes narrow as he pinches your nipples. You're whining again, and you haven't said complete words, let alone sentences, in a while. It's pure ecstasy to have you like this, hips bouncing wildly on his cock as lust-clouded eyes peer at him. But he needs you to pay attention.

"Stop." A wail rips out of your mouth as your body immediately follows the cruel command, William shushes you gently. "Be good. You'll get what you want soon, but this conversation is important."

Soothingly, he caresses every inch of skin he can find, from your breasts and down your ribs to your stomach, over your belly button and lower abdomen. He tenderly rubs at your hips and over your sides. William can't help but pay close attention to your scar, blood-red nails tracing its outline. You'll get more, surely, his left hand trails down to your right thigh where a bullet had grazed you a few weeks back. A depraved sort of thrill runs through him whenever he remembers. Your hands on his stomach feel rougher than they used to as well, growing calloused with your training. He'd taken his time running his lips over them and kissing each fingertip the first time he'd noticed. And he'll make sure to caress, kiss, and lick each new scar to come. He should have you warm his cock like this more often too, to luxuriate in your warmth and your lust while you both still can. Your breaths start coming a little easier, and he smiles when he finds you glaring at him through the compulsion.

"You bastard."

"I love when you curse me, but there's no need for that right now, my love. Shrug off your bathrobe and lie on the bed for me, facing the mirror."

Your body moves automatically, though you're still making a show out of glaring at him. William bites his lip as he slips out of you, and makes quick work of his own bathrobe once you're off of him.

"So that's what the mirror was for."

You comment as you obediently lie on your side before it, William smiles as he crawls to lie behind you. It was a tall, giltwood thing of gorgeous craftsmanship that he'd bought from one of his talented beneficiaries, you'd been curious as to why he'd asked for it to be placed by the bed. You must know now, as he runs his hand up your calf, dark crimson gaze meeting yours in the mirror.

"Do you see yourself?" William's hand traces up your thigh and then under, lifting it so your core is exposed. You gulp as you watch your figure in the mirror and he can't hide the curl of his lips, he had a feeling you'd like this. Your thighs were perfectly bruised and marked by him earlier, but most tantalizing is your dripping, pulsing core. He rubs his erection against it, he doesn't need to look at you to know you're both watching as it slides in. But then you moan, closing your eyes, and William tuts against your ear.

"No closing your eyes now." He kisses along your neck and your cheek, until you open them again. "Good girl."

William sets a slow pace, the kind of pace he knows you hate. It's slow, torturous, and divine. He can't help himself sometimes, wanting to draw out your pleasure for as long as possible, to lap up every frustrated moan that slips out of you. He nibbles your neck.

"You said you like yourself more now," He whispers. "But you're still too humble."

He thrusts a little deeper, pulls out almost completely, then slowly sinks back in again. Your breathing is ragged and heavenly in his ears. The wet sound of you taking him in so eagerly filling up the room.

"You've bloomed so beautifully before me. I'm entranced by everything you do," His nails dig into your thigh as he finally speeds up. "How do I prove my sincerity to you?"

He starts properly pounding into you.

"What should I do, my dear? What do you want me to do to prove myself?" Your moans are the most beautiful music he has learned to play. He drives into you over and over. "Should I repent? Should I kneel before your altar each night to prove my devotion?"

One of your hands makes its way into his hair and tugs, but your eyes are fixated on the way his cock is being swallowed by you in the mirror. Each time he takes you, you unravel a little more in front of him, expressing your pleasure or displeasure a little more freely. It's irresistibly alluring to witness this change in you. Your breath stutters when your gaze finally catches his own in the mirror, ecstasy heats up his blood when you don't try to hide what you'd been doing.

"I told you before, didn't I? I've only ever knelt before the queen, and for you." He whispers, and more music slips out of you as he mouths along your neck. "I'll walk on my knees to reach your sanctum if that's what it takes to prove my ardour."

You must be close again, by the way you're wildly pressing your hips back and squeezing his length. So sensitive. William moves his free arm under your body to draw you even closer and to rub along your clit, his cock driving deep inside you.

"I love you." At his confession you're crying out his name again, back arching against him as you come for the fifth time that night. "Beautiful."

He hisses as your walls press around him, hips mean as he chases his own orgasm. It doesn't take much, not when you're this exquisite. He bites down on your neck as he spills inside you, careful not to break skin. That will have to wait for another day.

William pulls out of you carefully after, hand letting go of your thigh and running along your body in adoration. He delicately caresses your skin and keeps you close, dropping a trail of small kisses from your shoulder to your cheek. When your breathing slows and you finally turn in his arms to look at him, you look drowsy. He smiles when you lean up to press a chaste kiss to his lips.

"You are very selfish."

William hums, drawing close for another kiss, "I could say the same to you."

"Yes, but you've gotten worse," You huff and William laughs in delight. "I just wanted to clean you up and help you relax after the mission."

That too-tender caress lands on his face again, your fingers glide across his cheeks, unknowingly tugging at the strings of a heart he'd long thought of as dead. No one had ever moved it like this, none of his little projects were done out of love, he simply craved giving freedom and hated people being trampled on. As much as he'd longed for this, he'd been resigned to his fate, stubbornly pressing forward, determined not to drag anyone along the path of his destruction. He'd made his peace with it, of course, there was no room for regret in the way he chose to live his life and wield his power.

"I love you too, Will," You say softly, and there it is: his absolution, his freedom. He thought he'd be the one to cut your chains, he certainly drew out the beautiful voice you'd been suppressing for so long, but he didn't expect for that same voice to free him. "I love you so much it hurts sometimes, but you tired me out."

There's a mock of a frown on your face, William can't help the laughter that rumbles out of him as he pecks your forehead. "You can sleep, I'll clean you up. Get you some water."

"Okay, but we're not done comparing answers yet." You warn him with a smile. He nods, doesn't say he hopes you're never really done comparing answers.

Your eyes drift shut and William kisses them with the same reverence of a devout follower polishing an idol of their church. Already, the prospect of losing you is both exhilarating and unbearable. He has no doubt that, when the time comes, holding your corpse in his arms will drive him to madness. How he longs to watch you draw your last breath for him, just like you want him to. How he dreads and welcomes the despair that will follow.

There was no heaven or pardon waiting for sinners like him. Heaven had your name and felt like your skin pressed against his, it chimed with your laughter, and tasted of you. It was a love so bright it blinded him, and made his covetous blood-soaked hands reach out of the darkness to beckon it in. Pardon was in the moments you managed to steal from the jaws of blood, fate, and tragedy. Like this night. His greatest sin, his punishment, his ruin, and his salvation all wrapped into one mesmerizing partner. He'd make sure to engrave this into you before providence took you from him.